National news release

Story about Smith's research

Local Scientist Wins National Award

CLAY CENTER, Neb., Feb. 11, 2002--Research chemist Timothy P.L. Smith has been named “Northern Plains Area Early Career Scientist of the Year” by the Agricultural Research Service. ARS, the chief scientific research agency for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will present Smith with the award at a ceremony on Wednesday in Beltsville, Md. ARS’ Northern Plains Area includes Colorado, Kansas, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.

Smith’s citation is for accomplishments in the development and application of genomic maps and resources for cattle and swine that have an important impact on the livestock industry. The goal of the research is to help breeders identify genetically superior animals. Among other accomplishments, Smith has located one of the genes for meat tenderness in cattle. With this information, farmers may be able to breed cattle whose carcasses are more tender and contain less fat.

Smith works at ARS’ Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (MARC) in Clay Center. He is known worldwide for his research, has written numerous articles and has been featured in many publications. In addition, Smith has donated hundreds of thousands of sequence submissions to the public DNA sequence database and private companies have contacted him about the research.

Smith has worked at MARC—first as a research associate and then as a research chemist—since he received his Ph.D. from the University of Oregon in 1992. Previous awards received by Smith include a Certificate of Merit and a Certificate of Appreciation from USDA.